Memories
by Magus732
Summary: After Max's death, Starling looks back on her life with him... reworked into a story... Chapter 2 is up.
1. Pregnant?

_I still remember everything... I relive our last years together almost every night;_

"Max!!!" The tall hybrid came running into the room, eyes as big as saucers.

"What!? What!? What is it!?"

"I've... got something to tell you..." Suddenly, his face fell back to its passive norm.

"Yeah? What's that?" He raised an eyebrow as she came over and rubbed his shoulder softly.

"I-I... I'm... I'm pregnant..." As the Interceptor slowly panned up to see his expression, she saw the dumbfounded look plastered on his face.

"Max?" She timidly moved a hand up to touch his cheek. He suddenly shouted as he pushed away from her violently.

"H-how... how can you b-be preg... preg-pregnant!?"

"I-I don't know... I mean, you must have-"

"I'm _sterile_, Starling! You know that!"

"Max..."

"I'm still going downhill... I mean, it's been 22 years since that happened to me..."

"_Max_..."

"We've been having sex for over a decade, and nothing's-"

"MAX!" He looked up at her. "I don't know... the doctors _did_ say that certain things may regenerate as you neared the end... maybe this is one of them..." An awkward pause.

"... But I-I..."

"Max, it's okay... we'll get through this... together..."

"Maybe... but it might be the last thing I ever do..."


	2. Little Miracle

_Each moment together from then on was a blessing... we both knew Max's end was rapidly approaching... I had always wanted a family, but knowing what would happen to Max made it _that_ much harder to keep going from day to day;_

"Hey, love... how're you doing?"

"I'm fine, Starling..." The once-proud warrior had definitely seen better days; the fire in his eyes was beginning to go out, and the strength he once had was slowly leaving his ailing body. Listening to Max puke up blood once a week like clockwork made Starling die a little more inside each time she heard it.

"You're not fine, and you know it... look, I know you're feeling worse, but you still have a job to do... I won't have this baby grow up not knowing its father!" She patted her stomach gently; she was eight months into the pregnancy, and her hormones were raging like a tempest.

"That's great! That's just great!! I'd just love for our child to see its father as a weakened shell of a man; puking my guts out every seven days should _really_ help it feel closer to me!!!" As his condition worsened, so did his mood; practically all he did now was sit in his favorite chair, reading a book silently as he coughed and wheezed periodically. Grunting a little with effort as he slowly rose to his feet, his balance wavering a little, he made his way to the bedroom.

"Damnit, Max! I can't do this alone! I won't!! You bastard! Get your ass out here right now!!!" Starling screeched angrily at the hybrid's retreating form. Suddenly, all too suddenly, she grew deathly silent, except for a soft whimper.

"M-Max..."

"What _now_, woman!? You going to scream at me some more!?" He slowly made his way back out to her, just in time to see a puddle beneath her feet.

"Max, my... my water just broke..."

_At the hospital, an hour later..._

"Ugh!!! Oh, God!!!!!" The Interceptor screamed in agony as she pushed out the child in her womb. A white-skinned doctor and his black-skinned nurse stood in front of her, monitoring her progress with concern and intrigue.

"It's alright, Miss Starling. You're doing quite well under the circumstances."

"That's easy for you to say, doctor!! _You're_ not the one giving birth!!!!" She felt a strong, four-fingered hand take hold of her own and looked over to see Max standing beside her, softly holding her shoulder with his free hand.

"Alright, Miss Starling. This next part isn't going to be as easy..."

"'As easy'!?"

"Your birth canal wasn't designed for Onyxian anatomy, so the pain is going to get a lot worse."

"Oh, God..."

"Now, we can see the shoulders coming out, so it won't be much longer now, but be aware; you're gonna need to push as hard as you can, and we'll have to pull from our end to make sure your baby girl will come out alright..."

"M-my... baby girl?" She whispered.

"Yeah, Miss Starling; it's a girl... now, please focus..."

"O-okay..."

"One last, hard push! C'mon!!!" Screaming with effort, the woman, with the help of the doctor and nurse, finally managed to push out her baby girl. Moments after her release, she cried as the doctor cleaned her up and wrapped her in a blanket.

"Congratulations, Miss... it's a beautiful baby girl..."

"Ohhh... Max, c'mere... see your new daughter..." Max came over to his wife's side, curiously staring into his child's eyes.

"She's beautiful... just like her mother..." The hybrid stated with a smile.

"What should we call her, love?"

"Honestly, I haven't given it any thought, Starling..." The infant looked around the room, taking in all the faces. Her own was quite unique; soft white skin matching her mom, with a tiny patch of black hair and big grey eyes. Her ears were pointed ever so slightly, giving a clear indication of how special she was. Cooing softly, she giggled as Starling tickled her stomach, keeping her happy.

"How about... Grace?"

"Grace... that's prefect..." Starling replied, snuggling the child into her cheek.

"Welcome to the world, little Grace..."


End file.
